CELESTIA
Chapter 102 — The Final Impact
The two fighters charged toward each other.
Their silhouettes cut through the dust raised by their previous clashes. Ranmaru's remaining constructs appeared around him, forming a network of translucent platforms that shifted as he moved.
Kai clenched his fists.
His energy crackled so intensely that his arms seemed to be wrapped in light.
— LET'S GO! Zayn shouted from the stands.
Ranmaru attacked first.
He stepped onto a platform, abruptly changed direction, and appeared above Kai. His fist came crashing down toward his opponent's head.
Kai dodged by simply tilting his head.
But Ranmaru had anticipated that reaction.
A second construct appeared behind Kai.
It struck him in the back.
— GH…!
Kai was launched forward.
Ranmaru landed on another platform and immediately extended his hand.
A new construct materialized beneath Kai's feet before suddenly closing around his legs.
— GOT YOU!
Ranmaru brought his fist down.
Kai crossed his arms.
The impact shook the entire structure.
A crack spread across the ground beneath them.
— You can't keep dodging forever! Ranmaru shouted.
Kai slowly raised his head.
— Who said I was going to dodge?
His expression changed.
An intense light ran through his arms.
The construct holding his legs began to vibrate.
Ranmaru's eyes widened.
— Wait…
BOOOOOOM!
Kai unleashed an explosion of energy at point-blank range.
The constructs shattered one after another. The blast sent Ranmaru flying through the air and scattered pieces of stone in every direction.
Kai straightened up in the middle of the cloud of dust.
He had managed to break free.
But his body was beginning to show the consequences of accumulating so much energy. His shoulders trembled slightly, and his breathing became increasingly irregular.
In the stands, Rodrigue frowned.
— He's pushing his absorption way too far.
— He knows, Yojuro replied.
Zayn turned toward him.
— Then why does he keep going?
Yojuro didn't answer immediately.
— Because he knows Ranmaru won't give up either.
Ranmaru landed on a platform.
He dropped to one knee, unable to hide his exhaustion.
His Eye of Orientation flickered.
Possible futures flashed before him.
Kai was advancing.
In one possibility, Ranmaru dodged to the left.
In another, he jumped over his opponent.
In a third, he created a barrier.
But every single possibility ended the same way.
Kai eventually managed to hit him.
Ranmaru clenched his teeth.
— No…
He closed his eyes.
He couldn't accept that outcome.
Not now.
He extended both hands.
All the energy he had left gathered around him.
The suspended platforms began connecting. Gigantic constructs appeared above the arena, forming a complex architecture that towered over almost the entire battlefield.
The spectators looked up.
— What is that?!
Even Zayn was left speechless.
Ranmaru stood at the center of the enormous structure.
— KAI!
The Paladin raised his head.
— WHAT?!
— YOU'VE FORCED ME TO USE EVERYTHING I HAVE LEFT!
Ranmaru raised his arms.
The constructs began to rotate.
— SO I'M GOING TO BET EVERYTHING ON THIS ATTACK!
Kai studied the structure.
A smile appeared on his face.
— FINALLY!
He moved one foot backward.
— I WAS STARTING TO THINK YOU'D MAKE ME WAIT ALL DAY!
Ranmaru didn't smile.
He knew this would be his final attack.
His Eye of Orientation focused on a single possibility.
One trajectory.
One victory.
The entire structure collapsed.
Not toward the ground.
Toward Kai.
Dozens of constructs converged on him simultaneously. Some approached from the front, others plunged down from above, while several emerged behind his shoulders.
The entire arena was swallowed by the attack.
Kai raised his arms.
He absorbed the first impact.
Then the second.
The third forced him backward.
The fourth made his knees buckle.
The constructs kept crashing down on him.
Kai endured, absorbed, and stored the energy from each impact, but his body was reaching its limits.
Ranmaru watched from above.
— FALL…!
One final construct, much larger than the others, appeared above Kai.
It took the form of an enormous translucent block.
Ranmaru extended his arm.
— FALL!!
The block came crashing down.
KRAAAAAAAAAAASH!
The arena disappeared behind a gigantic explosion of dust and energy.
The ground cracked for several meters.
Pieces of stone were hurled against the protective walls. The suspended platforms collapsed, and Ranmaru's remaining constructs shattered in a deafening roar.
For a few seconds, nobody could see anything.
— Kai…?
Zayn had stood up.
He searched for a silhouette among the debris.
Yojuro said nothing.
Rodrigue had left his seat.
Even the loudest spectators had fallen silent.
Then a voice emerged.
— …That was actually pretty good.
A silhouette appeared through the dust.
Kai.
He was on one knee, one arm resting against the ground. His uniform was torn, his face was marked by the fight, and faint electrical discharges still ran across his body.
But he was breathing.
He was still conscious.
Zayn's eyes widened.
— HE'S STILL STANDING?!
Kai slowly raised his head.
— Honestly…
He struggled back to his feet.
— You could've warned me before bringing the entire arena down.
A nervous laugh spread through the stands.
But Kai wasn't looking at Zayn.
He was searching for Ranmaru.
And eventually, he found him.
The young Tracker was lying several dozen meters away, surrounded by debris. His Eye of Orientation had lost its glow. His constructs were gone.
Ranmaru tried to move his fingers.
His arm trembled.
He attempted to get back up.
Impossible.
He gathered whatever energy he had left, but no construct materialized.
— No…
He tried again.
Nothing.
Kai began walking toward him.
Each step was difficult. His entire body protested, and the energy running through his arms was gradually fading.
Ranmaru turned his head.
— Wait…
Kai stopped.
— What?
Ranmaru stared at the ground.
— I haven't…
His voice broke.
He took a difficult breath.
— I haven't finished yet.
Kai remained silent.
Then he crouched a few meters away from him.
— Yes, you have.
Ranmaru slowly turned his eyes toward him.
— What…?
— You're done.
Kai gave him an exhausted smile.
— And you really gave me a hard time.
Ranmaru stared at his face.
He wanted to answer.
He wanted to get back up.
He wanted to try again.
But his body no longer obeyed him.
Eventually, his eyelids closed.
His head gently fell back against the ground.
He had lost consciousness.
Absolute silence.
Then the arena lights changed.
An official voice rang through the speakers.
— FIGHT OVER!
A giant screen appeared above the ruins.
VICTORY — KAI
— WINNER OF THE MATCH: KAI!
The arena erupted with cheers.
— OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH!!
Zayn jumped out of his seat.
— THAT'S IT!!! KAI WON!!!
He turned toward Yojuro.
— DID YOU SEE THAT?! DID YOU?!
Yojuro didn't answer immediately.
He was still watching the battlefield.
— Yes.
A slight smile appeared on his face.
— I saw.
Rodrigue let out a deep breath.
— Those two completely destroyed the arena…
Akamaru was observing the damage.
— I think we're going to need several repair teams.
Kai was still standing.
Well… almost.
He looked at the ruins surrounding him.
The battlefield was unrecognizable. Enormous cracks ran across the ground, the platforms had disappeared, and several sections of the arena had collapsed.
He raised his eyes toward the stands.
— So…
He tried to lift his arm.
— Did you enjoy the show?
The spectators answered with another explosion of cheers.
Kai smiled.
But his smile quickly disappeared.
His legs gave out.
He began to fall.
— KAI!
Medical staff rushed onto the battlefield.
Kai barely managed to place one hand against the ground before several people caught him.
He was exhausted.
His body had reached its limits.
A few meters away, healers were already taking care of Ranmaru.
Zayn watched the scene with a huge smile.
— What a fight…
Yojuro stood up.
— Yes.
He looked at the two fighters being carried away from the battlefield.
— Ranmaru lost. But he forced Kai to go much further than he wanted to.
Zayn crossed his arms.
— And Kai won.
— Exactly.
Yojuro paused.
— That's what makes this fight interesting.
At the center of the arena, one final section of the ground collapsed with a deep rumble.
Nobody reacted.
Everyone was already looking toward the two fighters.
One had won.
The other had lost.
But neither of them would walk away from this fight the same way they had entered it.
And the Couronne de Cendres had just lost its arena once again.